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Ginisang Munggo

Mung beans simmered with pork and shrimp into a thick, savory stew, finished with fresh malunggay leaves and a scattering of crushed chicharon on top. About as everyday as Filipino cooking gets — cheap, filling, and on weeknight rotation in most households.

50 minTotal time
6Servings
EasyDifficulty
Budget-friendly, one-potDietary note
Rainy DayGood for

Ginisang munggo (also called monggo guisado) shows up on Filipino tables more often than almost any other ulam, mostly because it's inexpensive, forgiving, and stretches easily to feed a crowd. It's frequently the answer to "what's for dinner" on nights when nobody wants to plan too far ahead.

What makes ginisang munggo different

Unlike ginisang munggo's sweet cousin — the mashed mung bean filling used in hopia — this version stays whole-bean and savory, simmered with garlic, tomato, and pork until it thickens into a stew rather than a paste. The crushed chicharon on top is what really sets a proper bowl apart, adding a crunch the soft beans don't have on their own.

Ingredients serves 6

  • 1 cup whole mung beans (munggo), rinsed
  • 4 cups water, plus more as needed
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 lb pork belly, cubed
  • 1/2 lb small shrimp, peeled
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
  • 2 cups malunggay leaves or spinach
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Crushed chicharon, for topping

No malunggay on hand? Spinach or even chopped kangkong (water spinach) leaves work as an easy substitute.

Instructions

  1. Cook the beans. Boil the mung beans in water until soft and starting to break down, about 25 minutes.
  2. Build the base. In a separate pan, sauté garlic, onion, and tomatoes until softened.
  3. Brown the pork. Add the pork belly and cook until lightly browned on the outside.
  4. Combine. Stir the sautéed pork mixture into the cooked mung beans along with fish sauce, and simmer until the pork is tender, about 10 minutes.
  5. Add shrimp. Stir in shrimp and simmer just until pink and cooked through, a couple of minutes.
  6. Finish. Stir in malunggay leaves, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot, topped with crushed chicharon.
Kitchen tip: The stew thickens more as it sits — keep a little extra water nearby to loosen leftovers back up when reheating.

Tips & variations

  • Bring the smoke: smoked fish (tinapa) flaked into the pot instead of shrimp is a common coastal-province variation.
  • Ampalaya leaves: some households use young bitter melon leaves instead of malunggay for a slightly bitter edge.
  • Skip the meat: a simple garlic-and-tomato version without pork or shrimp is common for meatless Fridays during Lent.
Glossary Patis

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to soak the mung beans first?

No — unlike many other dried beans, whole mung beans cook through in under 30 minutes of simmering without needing an overnight soak.

Can I make ginisang munggo vegetarian?

Yes — leave out the pork and shrimp and use vegetable broth instead of water. You'll lose some richness, so consider adding a little extra garlic and a splash of oil to compensate.

What's the difference between ginisang munggo and hopiang mungo filling?

Same bean, completely different dish — ginisang munggo is a savory stew with pork, shrimp, and vegetables, while the mung bean filling used in hopia is cooked down sweet with sugar and butter into a thick paste.

Pairs well with

The crunchy topping itself

Chicharon

Pork skin boiled, dried, and double-fried until crackling-crisp.
Everyday household staple

Chicken Adobo

Chicken braised in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and bay leaf until dark and glossy.
The sweet side of the same bean

Hopia

Flaky, laminated pastry wrapped around a sweet mung bean filling.